SPRINGTIME CHORUS

A couple of pairs of greenfinch have been doing their display flight whilst singing, over the car park at Cudmore Grove. This obliging greenfinch perched close to the entrance track on a sunny Thursday 17th.

Migrants noted today included two singing common whitethroats near the car park - a day after the first sighting of the year here, also two singing lesser whitethroats, 3 chiffchaffs, 3 blackcaps, yellow wagtail flying over the car park calling, sand martin along the cliff while a sedge warbler sang from reeds in the dyke late afternoon.

A marsh harrier flew west over the park early in the morning and the red-legged partridge called from the field to the west.

This pair of greylag geese arrived noisily onto the park's grazing fields on Thursday morning. Noted on the pools were 15 black-tailed godwits, 40 teal, 3 shoveler, 6 shelduck, pair of redshank, oystercatcher and 3 pairs of lapwing.
Three of the regular pochard were seen on the dyke the previous evening. Up to ten tufted ducks continue to commute between the pond and the dyke. The pair of swans is also commuting / waddling between the two watercourses too but no sign of nesting yet.
Both kestrels perched in the oak tree on Thursday morning and a swallow flew over the fields later.

Three red-legged partridges were surprisingly glimpsed in the recently cut grassy-weedy field to the west of the car park.
Two corn buntings were singing first thing on Thursday 17th at Bocking Hall and Chapmans Lane.
A yellow wagtail flying over the car park on Thursday 10th was the first record of the year here. A house martin was reported flying over the park with a swallow on Saturday 12th.

Martin Cock noted 3 whitethroats and 2 lesser whitethroats on Wednesday 16th at Rewsalls marshes. An earlier walk to Gyants marsh produced 3 lesser whitethroats, 6 blackcaps and 6 chiffchaffs on Saturday 12th. His visit to Rewsalls on the 9th provided views of a yellow wagtail, red-legged partridge and a little owl, while a greenshank was noted at Maydays on Sunday 6th.

Steve Entwistle noted swallow along Chapmans Lane on Sunday 13th, as well as willow warbler at Cross Lane, while blackcap, 2 chiffchaffs and 2 swallows in Shop Lane. At the Youth Camp little owl, willow warbler and lesser whitethroat were also noted on the 13th.

Three speckled woods were seen on Thursday 17th at the park as was an orange-tip, small tortoiseshell and small white. A hairy dragonfly flew over the main field in the afternoon, the first dragonfly sighting this year at the park.
One adder was seen near the clifftop path on Tuesday 15th and there was one seen on Thursday 10th too.

The moth trap hasn't been in much use over the last fortnight, in part because the nights have been cold and clear. This Chinese character came to the trap during Wednesday night, the first sighting for the year.
It was one of only thirteen moths seen after a cold and clear night with a bright full moon.

The first colourful brimstone moth was also seen, pictured above.

Other moths noted were hebrew character, red chestnut, March, early thorn and shuttle-shaped dart.

This streamer was also noted, one or two often turning up each spring at the park.

 

Three frosted greens were noted, each one showing varying shades of green colouration.

David Nicholls found these brown-tailed moth caterpillars on bushes on the Ray Island, stripping all the leaves off. Several whimbrel have been seen over the Bonners and Ray Saltings over the previous weekend.